1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to confections in an aqueous medium. In particular, the present invention is directed to confections, having a colored sugar shell that can have a design element, included in a matrix of an aqueous frozen, semi-frozen, or semi-solidified medium such as ice cream.
2. Related Background Art
Sugar and sugarless confections having an outer shell are well known. Such shells are often made from sugar or some other water soluble mixture. Further, such shells are also often colored with a government approved food dye. Presently, such shells, when placed in an aqueous medium, are disadvantageously subjected to color migration to the aqueous medium. Further, such shells are disadvantageously subjected to chemical and physical deterioration from the dissolving action of the aqueous medium or a medium of high water activity on the shell. Furthermore, such confections often desirably have design features that should be retained while in the media.
Similarly, other sugar or sugarless confections that do not have a separate, distinct shell structure, nevertheless can have peripheries that contain water soluble components and/or water soluble color components. Such peripheries are also disadvantageously subjected to color migration and deterioration by an aqueous medium or a medium of high water activity.
Frozen or semi-frozen media of high water activity such as slushes, ices, and sorbets are also well known. Such frozen and semi-frozen media include ice cream, sherbet, ice milk, and various other artificial frozen mixtures of high water activity. Well known semi-solidified media of high water activity include puddings and gelatins, and refrigerated doughs.
It is desirable to be able to add sugar or sugarless confections into aqueous frozen and semi-frozen media, or other media of high water activity, as inclusions without deterioration of the confection in the media. Such a combination of the confection with the media desirably adds taste and texture to the media. A very undesirable result of such addition, however, is the bleeding of the color from the shell or periphery of a confection into the media. A second very undesirable result is the deterioration of the physical integrity of the confection caused by the dissolving effect of the media on the confection.
Thus, the mixture of a confection with an aqueous frozen or semi-frozen medium, including into puddings or gelatins, is presently made shortly before the mixture is served to the consumer because mixing at a significant period of time prior to serving would lead to color bleed and dissolution of the shell. It would be very desirable to produce a mixture of a confection with an aqueous frozen or semi-frozen medium that resists color bleeding and confection deterioration because such a product would allow mass commercial production, as pre-packaged goods, with commensurate efficiencies in scale and production costs without the loss of quality.
Previous attempts to prevent color bleeding include the application of fat and fat based coatings, shellacs and glosses. Such prior attempts included trying to protect items such bakery pieces, nutmeats, and confectionery pieces from moisture migration when such items are used as inclusions in ice cream. The coatings formed by these prior attempts, however, were usually 30-50 wt % of the finished item. Furthermore, the prior art coatings disadvantageously changed the appearance of the inclusion particle. Such appearance changes include those changes resulting from flaking of the coatings, from increased opacity in the coatings, and from uneven, coarse or globular coatings. It would be desirable to maintain the original appearance of the inclusion particle by providing coatings that are substantially transparent.
D. Werner, Susswaren Technik Und Wirtschaft, 38 (5), pgs. 14-16 (1994), studied the bleeding of color from dragees and other decorations onto the surface of cakes and flour confectionery. The mechanism of wash-out, whereby moisture penetrates the surface of the dragees and dissolves some of the coloring agent is described. The principal solutions offered were the use of water insoluble coloring agents or the application of a barrier between the coloring agent and the surface of the product.
P. Pitt, Packaging Week, 12 (10), pgs. 28-29 (1996), describes edible cellulose films modified by edible plasticizers. The thus modified cellulose films are soluble in hot water. The described edible films are particularly applicable to layered products such as trifles and cheese cakes. The layers of edible film are designed to prevent the migration of color stains between the layers.
G. Talbot, Food Tech Europe, 3(2) 40, pgs. 42-44, (1996), discusses oils and fats used in ice creams and chocolate type coatings for ice cream. For coatings, alterations to cocoa butter, butter fat and vegetable fats, and moisture barriers are considered. "Lipid Technologies and Applications" by F. D. Gundstone and F. B. Padley, Marcel Deckker, New York, 1997 pgs. 391-432, describes chocolate and the manufacture and composition of confectionery fats such as cocoa butter, cocoa butter equivalents, milk fat, hydrogenated fats and oils, liquid oils, and various other confectionery fats. Methods of characterizing melting and crystallization behavior are described. Other applications of confectionery fats are briefly described and include toffee fats, biscuit cream fillings, ice cream coverings, center filling fats, and moisture barriers.
British Patent No. 2084445 describes an open ended or tubular wafer with an internal fat based coating and filled with ice cream. The ends of the wafer are capped with chocolate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,703 describes a composite ice confection formed from an open ended wafer with an internal fat based coating that is filled with ice cream. A continuous fat based capping such as a chocolate type couverture covers the open ends of the wafer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,905 describes coating ice-confectionery products with a fatty composition followed by a coating of dry particulate material such as cereal flakes. The fatty composition acts as a moisture barrier to maintain the particulate material's shape and crispness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,233 describes a process to improve the adhesion of a fat based coating to a frozen fat based confection, such as ice cream. An interfacial layer made of a polysaccharide, such as hydrolyzed starch, and a carrier, such as water, is applied to the frozen confection. The interfacial layer increases the adhesion of the coating and reduces the potential of the coating cracking and falling off during eating, without changing the quality, taste, texture, or appearance of the product.
An article in Dairy Field, (October 1996), page 38, describes reduced calorie coatings containing a fat replacement component manufactured by Cultor (New York, N.Y.). The coatings are supplied in a variety of flavors and can be used to cover ice cream and novelty inclusions. An article in Food Engineering International (October 1995), pg. 82, describes a specialty fat, Cotebar, made by Loders Croklaan (Hoffman Estate, Ill.) that provides a barrier to prevent migration of moisture from toppings and fillings to layers of dry food such as pastry and wafers. The specialty fat is particularly suitable for use in quiches, desserts, pizzas, and ice cream products.
European Patent Publication EP 624061 A1 and British Patent No. GB 2263615 A describe a bar shaped frozen confection made of a layer of ice cream, a layer of chewy confection material, and a layer of crisp confection material enrobed with a moisture barrier material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,518 describes an emulsion that forms an edible moisture barrier coating prepared by homogenizing an aqueous solution of a protein isolate with a mixture of a saturated lipid and emulsifier. The coating is suitable for use as a moisture barrier to treat almonds incorporated into ice cream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,877 describes a method for improving the adherence of fat based coatings to frozen fat based confections by applying a composition formed from a polysaccharide and a suitable carrier as an interface layer between the frozen fat based confection and the coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,359 describes edible film coating compositions of low moisture permeability. The compositions are formed from cross-linked refined shellac and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC). The coating compositions are useful as moisture barriers in composite food articles having phases in contact which defer in water activity. Effective film thicknesses range from 0.1 to 5 mils.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,927 describes a matrix of frozen desert having an edible inner bit with a water soluble coating and a substantially water insoluble second coating on it, supported by a frozen state.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,728 describes a frozen composition containing particles having a sweetener core encapsulated in a butter fat coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,563 describes a composite frozen confection product having ice confection material in contact with a layer of fat based coating confection. The fat based coating confection is a suspension of flavoring and sweetening solids in a fat component.
European Patent Publication No. EP 777968 A describes a process for preserving fruit by coating the fruit with a sugary composition having a low pH and pasteurizing the mixture under high pressure. The preserved fruit is useful as an ingredient in the preparation of food products such as pastries, yogurts, and ice cream.
European Patent Publication No. EP 542510 A describes a coloring agent in a thermal stable matrix based on at least partially gelatinized starch material.
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 59059149 A describes a method to use water-in-oil type emulsions for coating, decorating and filling ice creams.
It would be desirable to form a glossy, transparent, protective coating on an item for inclusion in an aqueous medium to protect the item from the moisture of the aqueous medium and that maintains the original appearance of the inclusions. The deleterious effects of the moisture include causing color bleeding and physical deterioration of the item.
Further, it would be desirable to form the protective coating, while retaining and maintaining any printed designs that are on the item, to protect the item from the moisture of the aqueous medium. Such designs can serve decorative and/or marking functions, for aesthetic purposes and/or tradedress/trademark protection purposes.